Nintendo has released a new overview trailer for Mario Tennis Fever, the upcoming sports game for Switch 2. While the video goes over various modes and special rackets, the most important revelation is Baby Waluigi. He’s a real playable character, and he’s spectacular.
Baby Waluigi, who we caught a brief glimpse of during the announcement trailer last year, isn’t the only newcomer to Mario Tennis Fever, though. The game will feature Goomba, Nabbit, Piranha Plant, and Baby Wario for the first time as part of the playable cast, consisting of 38 characters overall. The sports title will also serve up 30 Fever Rackets. Nintendo showcased some of the special abilities tied to these frames, such as the Pokey Racket and Golden Dash Racket. The former spawns enemies on your opponent’s court, while the latter can make your character super agile.
Nintendo also detailed how to counter Fever shots. If players can volley the ball back–meaning not allowing it to bounce off the court–the special effect can be sent back. For instance, the Ice Racket creates a frozen surface on the court. Instead of this slippery area appearing on your side, you can volley the Fever shot back to your opponent.
Other tidbits from the new Mario Tennis Fever video include the fact that Fever Rackets can be disabled for more straightforward matches. In addition, the Switch 2 title has GameShare capabilities, letting nearby players on Switch 2 and Switch join multiplayer matches locally without a copy of the game.
Mario Tennis Fever is set to launch February 12, and preorders are live for the Switch 2 exclusive. It’s the first entry in the Mario spin-off series since Mario Tennis Aces in 2018.